June's War
by Foxbear
Summary: June Darby faces the darkness that the war creates, in human and Cybertronian alike. As a nurse, woman, and Mother, she shines her own light into the shadows. Previously titled WHY but outgrew the original title and description.
1. Why?

Why?

A Transformers Prime Fanfic

"So June, been busy?"

June Darby gave the middle-aged special agent an amused look as she accepted the coffee he handed her.

"Now why would you assume that?" she asked as she relaxed back into the battered sofa. Special Agent William fowler sat down beside her and they stared out across the base. Jack and Miko were sprawled out on their stomachs, arms elbow deep in some half dissembled machine. Raf was bent over a computer screen with Ratchet trying to figure out why the latest addition to the Autobot's equipment was refusing to integrate with the main computer.

"Oh you know, being a working mother and all…Not like there's anything else on your mind." The special agent flashed her a mischievous grin as he sipped from his own cup.

June smiled again and let her eyes rest on her son. Sometimes she was so proud of him she could barely contain it. At the moment he was patiently explaining a welding technique to the small Asian girl helping him.

"Busy is the word," she murmured.

"I know what you mean," Fowler sighed. "Waiting an hour or so for Prime's monthly report practically counts as a vacation."

June looked up at the middle-aged black man curiously.

"I was wondering, why do you pick those up personally? Why not have Optimus just send it to you electronically?" She asked.

"In a word, security," snorted the agent. "The line between us and the Autobots is secure, Ratchet made sure of that, but our own computers are far from it. With that Soundwave character out there, there's no system on Earth that's safe. All documents regarding our dealings with the Autobots are kept hardcopy."

A clatter from the disassembled machine and an exasperated shout from Jack drew their attention. The boy was clutching one wrist while Miko tried to apologize between fits of giggling. June quickly assessed the situation and decided Jack didn't need assistance.

"Speaking of a security risk," she murmured, while smiling at the spunky girl.

Fowler followed her glance and gave a grin.

"Ha, she kinda reminds me of myself at that age."

"Fearless and adventurous?"

"Ah, something like that."

"You know Fowler, I'm still rather curious why you allowed this in the first place." June mused.

"Hmm?" Fowler asked through a mouthful of espresso.

"The children. If you want to talk about a huge security risk. I like them being under the Autobots care because I truly think it is the safest option for them. But they are a huge unknown factor to the military. I'm just surprised the powers that be allowed them to stay; didn't ship them off to some secure witness protection program or something." June frowned. It was odd now that she really thought about it. She gazed searchingly at the special agent. Fowler glanced away quickly a guilty look creeping across his face. June's mother instincts flared up.

"Fowler?" She demanded quietly.

The agent glanced nervously around.

"You know," June said dangerously, "for a secret agent you have a lousy poker face."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Fowler stated a little nervously.

June's features hardened into her serious face, and she laid a hand on the agent's arm.

"Special Agent William Fowler, what aren't you telling me?"

The fed tried to say something, glanced around the base, started again, then surrendered and shook his head.

"Lovely night out for a walk," he finally suggested, and offered his arm to the woman.

June nodded her understanding and let the man help her to her feet. The two rode the elevator to the surface of the butte which housed the Autobot base. They strolled out to the edge of a repair catwalk. Agent fowler leaned on the railing and stared out over the Nevada desert. A new moon hovered over near endless sagebrush and a cool night wind stirred the air. June waited patiently for the man to speak.

"Mrs. Darby," he began slowly. "Please believe me when I say the children's' safety was considered at all levels and had top priority. Like you said, they are simply safest here. We could have sent them all into protective custody, but that involves loads of paperwork." The agent shuddered at the thought, "paperwork that has to go through countless computers. The cons were already after them at that point. Having their names and images in our system would have brought the cons down on their heads instantly. You know what sick …monsters they can be."

June nodded and shivered. She knew all too well. 'Your choice Jack…' echoed in her head.

"But there was another reason." She prompted the agent.

"Yes," Fowler turned and looked June straight in the eye. "Right before Arcee met up with Jack the Autobots had just lost one of their own."

"Cliffjumper," the woman murmured softly. Arcee had told her about him one lonely day.

"Yes, they lost him defending this planet, our planet," Agent Fowler gestured around at the surrounding desert, "from the cons. There they were aliens from outer space, defending a race that for the most part, didn't even know they existed. A race," he went on with a hard face, "that had proven themselves to be little better than the cons on more than one occasion. Now why were they doing that?"

June tilted her head to one side as the man continued.

"Prime! It was all him. Not that I'm saying the other bots didn't care at all, but to risk life and spark day after day, to defend an unknowing, unworthy, ungrateful, faceless bunch a organics like us? Even if you assume the cons are their responsibility in the first place, that takes a sense of duty you don't find just anywhere. Prime ordered them to defend us and they did because they'd follow him to the pit and back, not because they saw anything all that great about humanity."

The woman stiffened as she realized where this was headed.

"Basically it boiled down to our planet's safety depending on the conscience of one being June." Fowler dropped his eyes and lowered his voice. "And no matter how good a warrior is, no matter how invincible he seems, anyone, even him, can go down in battle. If we lost Prime, we lost all the bots."

"So you wanted a way to make the others care," June said, and there was an edge to her voice, "to tie them to Earth. So even if something happened to Optimus…"

"They would stay, and keep fighting," finished Fowler bluntly.

June turned away from the man with her mind in turmoil. On the surface it seemed so mercenary, using the children as emotional pawns in a deadly game. But, whatever the motivations of those in power, Jack was safest under Arcee's protection, of that the woman was sure.

"And there was the other side of the coin," Fowler finally said softly, once he could see her calming down.

"What was that?" She asked suspiciously.

"Hey, this one's all good," the man asserted, holding up his hands in self defense. "I just wanted to get the ugly one out in the open first."

June arched her eyebrows skeptically.

"Really," Fowler continued, "We do appreciate them being out there fighting for us. It drives those of us who know crazy, knowing we can't help them fight."His voice tightened with frustration. "But we do what we can. Ever since they arrived we've had shrinks analyzing them, with their full knowledge of course." The man assured her. "And they discovered something amazing, something mind boggling."

June had to admit that made her curious.

"What was that?"

"They weren't all that different from us." Fowler stated. "A completely alien life form, but given what we knew about their pasts, their social position, their experiences; simply put they reacted to life the same way the shrinks said a human would under similar circumstances. Well, the way the best of us would anyway." He amended, thinking of Prime. "Anyway, we wanted to do something that would do them some good. When the children showed up; well, two birds with one stone, like they say." Agent Fowler shrugged and fell silent.

"But what good does it do the Autobot's to have the children?" Asked the woman a little confused. "I know they've been useful occasionally…"

"Mrs. Darby," Agent Fowler said with a smile, "You're a mother. You should know the answer to that question far better than an old bachelor like me."

June stared off into the starry distance, deep in thought. She called to mind all the times she'd seen the Autobots interacting with the children; the way Ratchet would smile at Bee and Raf when he thought no one was looking, Bulkhead lightly scooping Miko onto his shoulder, Arcee's faceplates lighting up as she taught Jack some new skill. She paused and considered Optimus. The only time she had ever seen a content look on his faceplates was when they were all together in the base under his watchful optics, the children wrecking havoc around the feet of their giant protectors.

"They have maternal instincts," she said softly, "they need someone, young ones, to care for every bit as much as we do."

Fowler nodded.

"I know it might seem a bit, mercenary June. But we did have everyone's best interests in mind when we let the children stay. And it's paid back in folds! You never got a chance to see what their spirits were like before the children fell into their lives. But, believe me, there is a world of difference now. And while Arcee might not have cared much about protecting some backwater planet called Earth, to protect Jack's home…"

"She'd do anything." June finished. June shivered again and wrapped her nurse's uniform more tightly around her. The desert night's could be cold.

"Let's get back inside June. Prime probably has that report ready by now."

She nodded and they started back down.

Later

"Jack, time to go," Mrs. Darby called out across the base as she fished through her purse for her keys.

"Coming Mom! We'll be right behind you as soon as we put the tools away."

June glanced around in frustration and expanded her search. She was shuffling through some papers on a desk when she happened to glance up. Optimus Prime was watching the children help his Autobots clean up. There was a look in his optics that made the human catch her breath. She didn't think she'd ever seen such deep compassion and fatherly love on the face of any being. Peace and contentment radiated from Optimus like the moonlight over the desert. A computer beeped and the moment was broken as he turned to respond. June stared at the Prime's back a second longer. No matter what the motivations of the military were, she decided, there was no better place for the children to be.


	2. Results

Results

An Epilogue to Why?

A Transformers Prime FanFiction based on Episode 25 One Shall Rise Part 2

"Well, it looks like your nefarious little plan got results," June Darby whispered softly to Special Agent William Fowler, as they stood in the concrete corridor. There was a slightly twisted smile on her face.

"What?" the middle aged black man glanced at the dark haired nurse in confusion. His mind was racing, running over a situation that was spinning far out of his control.

She lifted a hand to indicate the cluster of Cybertronians out of sight around the corner.

"Them."

"For Miko," Bulkhead's proclamation burned in Fowler's head. Emotions passed over the man's face in waves; understanding, guilt, determination. It had not been too long ago he had revealed to her the main reason the Pentagon had allowed the three children to stay with their mechanical guardians. This situation was exactly what the top brass had anticipated. War weary soldiers, their own home long lost, faced with the choice of running or defending a world they owed nothing. But the Autobots had a reason to fight, a reason to die. Fowler had made sure of that. He looked the woman straight in her eyes.

"And I'd do it again," but there was something else in his eyes. Regret? June rested a hand gently on his arm. The sound of the groundbridge opening seemed to fill the missile silo.

"You hoped they would refuse to go?" she asked, to distract herself as much as out of curiosity.

The children bunched at the end of the corridor, peering nervously around the corner. It was taking all of Mrs. Darby's will power to resist the urge to join them. Some quirk of human nature demanded she look the monster in the eye.

"No, I just," Fowler let out a sigh and shook his head. "I hoped, hope, they survive," was all he finally said.

The sound of Cybertronian footfalls filled the base; slow, steady, fateful. June reached out and gripped the man hand. He returned the gesture, perhaps humanity's oldest reassurance.

"For Jack," Arcee's words echoed in the woman's mind. The words were so simple, their meaning so deep. The look on Autobot's face as she had smiled at the boy had nearly burst June's heart. Fear deep and primal, hate for an enemy millennia old; all overcome by selfless, self sacrificing love.

The woman gave Fowler's hand one last squeeze as a low dangerous voice echoed through the missile silo.

"So this is where the magic happens. Quaint."

She felt the anger and mother rage rising in her at the thought of what the owner of that voice had done to Raf, and fought it down. Now was no time to lose control. She focused her eyes on a head of pink and black hair. If Miko tried anything crazy June was poised to jump in and stop the impulsive girl cold. But sometimes even the hardiest of fools obey reason and the calmest of heads can be driven to madness with revenge. By the time she realized her mistake Raf had bolted out into the silo proper and was charging Megatron.


	3. Target

Target

A Transformers Prime FanFiction based after the events of Episode 26 One Shall Rise Part 3

Warnings :SPOILERS:

"And you. I never forget a face. Even that of a human." The deep voice carried unspoken and unspeakable danger.

Jack's blue eyes hardened as he looked coldly and calmly over his shoulder at the smugly leering Decpticon. Then he turned without a word to follow the rest of the humans into the relative safety of the far reaches of the base.

June Darby snapped her eyes open and the memory was replaced with the dim grey of the concrete silo. The cool air, army cot, and thin blanket would not have been comfortable under any circumstances. With the ominous threat looming over her precious son's head, there was no way she was getting sleep anytime soon. The nurse rolled silently out of the bed and slipped her ward shoes on. She crept past the two sleeping children.

Miko and Raf were curled up together in another cot. Mrs. Darby had tried to call their parents to reassure them the children were safe but all the civilian communication lines seemed to be down. The road into town was destroyed and the ground bridge was down while Ratchet ran diagnostics on the over worked machine. The nurse knew she'd be needed at the hospital and being unable to fulfill her duty burned at her heart. But she was needed here as well.

The slim Asian girl had her arms protectively wrapped around the smaller boy. At the moment she looked like nothing so much as a lithe young cat protecting her sole remaining kitten. The dark haired woman smiled softly, Megatron had been right about one thing, human children were resilient, more so than the sadistic monster would ever know. Both were breathing softly and smiling as their eyes flickered through dream land. The human touch, the mother mused, was an amazing force. June took the time to check Raf's vitals, careful not to wake him. Satisfied she tucked the blankets in around them and slipped out into the base proper.

Using military short wave, and a simple but effective code, Fowler had reported to his superiors and been told that there was no transportation available. He was ordered to wait at the base until a chopper could be spared from the National Guard Relief efforts. Now, subscribing to the ages old soldier's code that you slept and ate when you could because you never knew when your next chance would be, he was sprawled across the battered couch, snoring away. June blushed slightly when she remembered his arms around her in the moment they'd realized the danger was past. Granted, it had only been from joy at being alive, but it had been a long time since any man had held her like that.

Finally she was looking across the base and there was nothing left to distract her. Jack was stripped to the waist and covered in dust, grime, and the dozens of little scratches and dings that go along with a long day of manual labor. The boy bent over some device clipping wires and doing heaven knew what else. He paused to wipe his face and reached over to lay a hand on Arcee's arm and smile warmly up at her. The bot glanced down at him and for a moment the emptiness of her optics warmed. No, not a boy any more, June thought with a pang as she watched her son move among the giant warriors. Everywhere he touched something was made better. A machine was repaired here, a smile drawn from the pain there. He was becoming a man; a man with amazing friends, and terrifying enemies.

Megatron's eyes burned into her mind, ember red eyes that focused on her son with enmity. Before that moment the Decpticon had been an abstract concept to the woman, the boogeyman that haunted the dreams of her son's friends and struck from an empty sky. Now he was all too real. And his optics had painted a bright red target on her son's back. What had Jack done to earn that attention? Her mother's heart told her it was something she would be proud of. Her mother's mind told her it was something she would probably want to strangle both her son and his guardian for.

But, the woman forced herself to be honest; it wasn't the presence of Megatron that was feeding her fear. It was the lack of another presence. She thought of that terrible moment when she'd realized that Optimus Prime wasn't going to come striding back through the groundbridge. Until then June had had no concept of how much she had come to rely on the compassionate mech. His soothing baritone had been the first to comfort her when she arrived at the base, still in shock from being abducted at gunpoint. It had been the knowledge that he was watching over the children that had convinced her to let Jack remain with the Autobots. Even when he was at his weakest, when she had struck out at him in anger and fear, his only reaction had been to reach out and comfort her, to ask her forgiveness. June flinched as she remembered the pain in his optics as she accused him of failing Rafael. The simple fact of the matter was that when it came down to it she trusted him, needed him.

"Mom? Can't sleep?" A tired voice pulled her out of her reverie.

"No," she said.

"You should try," he urged with a hand on her arm, "I'm needed here, but if I know you, as soon as the roads are clear you'll be headed for the hospital, and then who knows when you'll get to sleep next?"

Who was this man who stood before her? There was the shadow of a moustache on his upper lip. His shoulders seemed broader somehow than they had yesterday. A silver and topaz pendant lay against his bare chest, hung on a scrap of cable he had scavenged from somewhere. She had heard Ratchet explain the device's significance to the assembled humans. Optimus had given the care of the key to Vector Sigma over to her son. It was more than just an ancient and revered relic; it was a sign of the mech's deep trust for the human. If the Prime had that much faith in her son maybe she should be showing a little too.

"You're right Jack. But you get some sleep before too long. I can smell that you're running on will power and coffee fumes."

Her son smiled at her and led her back to the humans sleeping area. He stopped to check Raf's pulse and tuck the blankets in a little tighter. June slipped off her shoes and slid under the blanket. Jack was standing watch; despite the cold and discomfort she had no trouble falling asleep this time. The only image that greeted her was a pair of kind blue eyes, or perhaps optics.


End file.
